'Dear Jane' has left the building

 Sunday, December 12, 2021

I have taken the last stitches in the client's Dear Jane. This has been FUN!!!! I just hope that the client is happy with the quilt. What an experience this has been. I have had so much input from so many great longarm quilters. That just goes to prove that we support each other no matter the situation. 

Tomorrow I'll pull this off of the frame and try to get some good pictures of the quilting. I have a little surgery scheduled for Tuesday and I won't be allowed at the machines for a couple of days. I really want good pictures of this whole quilt. However, this is the digital work up that I do as I finish an area. Then when the quilting is complete I have something on the screen that looks like this: 

Now, I still need to un zip one end of the quilt so that I can check to make sure everything is stitched, clip threads, and generally admire the back. As I look at this mock up, I am very, very pleased with the out come. This has been a thought process for 10 months and to actually see it come to a reality is pretty special. 

I estimated the actual stitching time on this quilt to be 60 hours. Could, and probably was, more than that, but I think 60 is a good estimate. That does not count the hours spent on line doing research and finding different block designs. The 'stand and stare' was done before the top ever arrived at my house. 

So, I am going to up load some pictures. Verity has her quilt in hand and now she starts working on the binding. I really look forward to seeing it complete in the next several months. She is very meticulous  with her work, so I'm sure it will be beautiful. 

Would I quilt another one. Yes, I would. This is the second 'Jane' I have done. The first one we did in Baptist Fan edge 2 edge. This one is full custom all the way through. I love the way that both of them turned out. I would love to do another one...... or 10.......

Have a great day!!

        ONE LOOSE THREAD!!

The Epic Quilt Story Continues

 Today is Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021. It's raining here in South Carolina and the day is very gray. We haven't had measurable rain in weeks, so this is really welcome. My container gardens really need this rain and the collards and lettuces look very happy. 

I am spending this day in the studio working on 'Dear Jane'. I have ditched and plotted rows # 9 and 10. The block designs have been placed and I am currently stitching them out. Things are looking good. 

OK.......... things are moving along. I have ditched and plotted row 11 and Olivia Statler is busy stitching out those designs. Next up will be the triangles to match these rows.

Do you realize that will leave me with one row and a full triangle border to do? So, I must start thinking about what I will stitch in the corner kites. I have some ideas, but, I'm trying hard not to use the same designs that Lynn used. Need something a little different.... maybe.

Oh my, Batiks Etc just announced that they have the new Jacqueline de Jonge Purple Sunrise Block of the Month. I have been waiting for this, so, of course I had to stop and order. Purple and orange can really be my downfall.  

That will make 2 BOM's for 2022. The other will be 'Toes in the Sand' with Tula Pink and Jay Bird Quilts. Guess I better get busy finishing the BOMs for 2021. 

Well, it's the end of the day. and when you see this picture, you might think that not much was done. That's just not true. Remember how I told you that the Stitch in the Ditch would not show on these pictures. Well, I spent several hours finishing all of the ditch stitching. The quilt is now ready to finish. I have several appointments away from the studio tomorrow, so there won't be anytime to work on Jane. However, Friday I'll be back to work with her. She is moving along and will be ready for pick up before long. 

That's it for today. I have poured a glass of wine and it's time to wind down. Hope you have a really good night.

Joyce-One Loose Thread

And the Story Continues Dec. 7, 2021

Today is Monday, December 7, 2021. I am reminded of the fact that this is Pearl Harbor Day. We were taught that this day would "live in infamy", but will it? How much of our history is being erased? Just a thought. While I freely quilt today, in my studio, in my own home, in a town and state that I love, in a country that I believe in, I will say thanks to the hundreds of thousands that have served this country just so I could do that. (how is that for a 'run-on' sentence?) Seriously, take more than a second to think about the many that gave so much. 

Now, on to the business of the day. 

The bookkeeper had a procedure yesterday and we are not sure that she will be in to post retreat registrations until next week. So, if you don't hear from me this week, don't worry. Everything will come together before Christmas.

February registrations are steady. There is still plenty of room, but, you need to get those registrations in soon.

May Mester 2022 registration continues. There are plenty of cottage rooms available and lots of room to sew in both the Judy Niemeyer class and the Sit and Sew. Gather your friends and join the fun. 

This is where I stopped last week:

Believe it or not, I am almost half way. That is a good thing. Olivia Statler is ready to continue our work. I need to put in 4-5 hours today. I am very pleased with how this is going............so don't let bad karma mess this up! 

I'm finished for the day. I did manage to ditch stitch 4 rows (remember that those stitches don't show up on the screen). Also, plotted, set, and stitched 3 of those rows and a few triangles.

Things are moving along. I have another full day open tomorrow and we are going to carry on with this. I hope to also load Penelope Statler with an e2e that can run in the background. 

So, have a good evening and I'll be back tomorrow!

Joyce-One Loose Thread

The Story of the Epic Quilt-Dec. 4, 2021

 Today is Friday, Dec. 4, 2021. My primary focus for working today is 'Dear Jane'.

So this is where I stopped last night:

I am so please with how this is working out.

Today, nothing else will get stitched. Penelope Statler has a finished quilt that is waiting for me to take it off of the frame. But, it can just sit there until Monday.

 I will have to do some paper work for February quilt retreat. Pat probably won't be in to work for another week, so have to log in registrations for both February and May retreats. Both are going well, I would just like to fill them both. The two retreats are so different, that they invite different groups to attend. That's a good thing. We all get to meet new quilters and learn new things. So, while I do that, I will be plotting and stitching on Jane.

It's the end of the day. Around 6:00. Time to pour a glass of wine and have a look at what has been accomplished. 

Everything that shows in black is what was stitched today. I AM HALF WAY!!!

That's it for today. I'll be back with this quilt on Monday and all of next week. 

I hope everyone has a really good weekend. 

Joyce-One Loose Thread

The Story of an Epic Quilt

I met this quiltmaker probably 10+ years ago. I think that she has been working on this quilt all of that time, but, you would have to ask her. I do know that every time I saw her at a retreat, she was working on her 'Dear Jane'. It's been a true journey for her. I am honored to be in a position to quilt this for her.

 This was taken when we hung the finished quilt top during one of my retreats at Camp Gravatt. Many of the 'Frayed Knots' have watched Verity work on this quilt. Through this quilt, many have learned the story of the 'Dear Jane' quilt and how it came to be. Actually, a whole new generation of quilters have come to know this quilt.

Since before I knew that I would get this quilt into my studio for quilting, I have been planning how I would want to quilt a Dear Jane. I knew that I wanted to preserve the heritage of the quilt. Verity also pieced this top with 30's reproduction fabrics, so, wanted to work well with that too. I have looked at thousands of pictures on Pinterest for ideas. I have talked with other longarmers that have quilted this quilt. One longarmer that has really helped me with choosing designs is Lynn. She really got me started on design choices and that has made this journey a little easier. Verity chose a solid backing for her quilt, so the quilting will actually show more on the back than the front. I like that. I like for quilting to take a backseat to the piecing on a quilt such as this. Batting is Quilter's Dream Wool. Thread is Superior's Bottom Line in the bobbin and Sew Fine through the needle. So, preliminary decisions have been made. Next comes loading the quilt. 

December 2, 2021 is loading day. This should have happened over a week ago, but, today is finally the day. 

Usually I totally baste a custom quilt on my frame before taking the first quilting stitches in it. However, I am approaching this quilt differently. I have spent lots of time with this top and know it to be flat and square. There should be no issues. There will be no thread color changes, so, I am going to start at the top and work my way down. Verity has drawn the scallops in below the triangles, so I have a really good visual and will know where to quilt and where to stop the quilting. 

I spent 3-4 hours this morning deciding on the actual designs that I want to go in the blocks and triangles. I have studied all of my examples. Lynn sent me some great pictures and I have added some designs from other designers to my collection. Time to start stitching.

Since I am starting at the top, the first thing I have done is to stitch in the ditch the full upper border and the first 2 rows of blocks. 

NOW IS THE TIME!!! I plotted the plain triangles, set the designs, adjusted where necessary, and started stitching. Olivia Statler and I stitched out all of the plain triangles with a nice tall feather design. Looks good! I am not 100% comfortable with the design I am looking at for the pieced/appliqued triangles, so, I'll sleep on it and decide tomorrow.

I used my Statler program, Creative Studio, and drew out the design that I wanted in the scallops. Have to make sure that I leave Verity plenty of room for that binding. I plotted those, and placed the design. Olivia Statler stitched these perfectly following my guidelines. 

This is how the day finished. The stitch in the ditch will not show on these pictures because I dropped the belts on the Statler and used a ruler and hand guided the stitching. Time to call it a day. Tomorrow will be all about this quilt.

December 3, 2021, It is a beautiful day here is South Carolina. At one point today my thermometer was reading 80 degrees! In DECEMBER!!! I just love it. The only thing on my schedule today is Verity's Dear Jane. 

As I said yesterday, I didn't feel comfortable with the design I had chosen for the pieced/appliqued triangles, so this morning I am in search of one that I feel will work better. I love the one that Lynn had used in her quilt for the plain triangles, but, felt that this needed something different. I finally found it. Printed out my block design listing and started plotting and placing designs. First in the pieced/appliqued triangles. Stitched those. Yep, I made the right decision for this quilt. These look great!

Next will be the blocks in the first 2 rows of the quilt. These have been 'ditched' and are ready to quilt. I have plotted and placed every other block and stitched them. Then I placed the rest of the blocks in the row and stitched them. I am in a great place to start working down the side borders. Usually I turn the quilt to do these, but, with these designs, I can work the side borders as I roll the quilt. Those triangles have been ditched, plotted, and designs placed and stitched. 

I am not working the corner kites just yet. Decisions need to be made on those areas. They will wait until later. 

It is now 5:30 in the afternoon and I am ditching the next set of rows. I had hoped to be farther along, but, this stuff takes TIME!! So, it's time to call it quits for today. Tomorrow will, again, be all about this quilt. 

Pouring a glass of wine and putting my feet up. Ribs in the oven........... LIFE IS GOOD!!!

This is what I have to this point. What's in black was stitched today. Again, the stitch in the ditch will not show on these photos. 

More to come tomorrow. Have a great night. 

Joyce-One Loose Thread.